“Laurie’s going to be so mad she missed this,” Finn said, with a slight English accent he’d acquired from his mother. He glanced over at his wife, who was asleep on the couch, the result of the sleeping pill she’d taken to combat her extreme fear of flying. Their newly adopted four-month-old daughter, Larkin, was currently sound asleep, strapped to Finn’s chest. She’d had retinoblastoma, the same cancer that had caused Bran to lose his eyesight as an infant. Cancer-free with the removal of her second affected eye, she was happy and healthy, though blind. Since she’d been almost completely deprived of human contact the first months of her life, Finn and Laurie were attempting to make up the deficit by “wearing” her as much as possible.
“I hope you can get Gabe over here and gain permanent custody,” said Steph, as she spread peanut butter on slices of bread and handed them to Finn for jelly, assembly line fashion. “Ford would love getting to play with him, since they’re both three years old. And I bet Ellie would try to mother him, like she always does.”
“Our Lily just turned four, but she acts like she’s the same age as Ellie,” said Bran, “so she’ll probably try to order Gabe around, like she does Ford.”
“I know it’s hard to navigate the adoption system,” Finn said, as he put the lid on the jelly. “It took us a year to go through the process for Larkin.”
“Since Gabe has this medical emergency, I thought I could get a special approval as his permanent guardian. Or at least be on track to adopt.” Jarrett glanced at his cell phone, noting the time. It was almost five o’clock. Hopefully his neighbors would come a little late and give him time to prepare his friends.
“Well, it’s ridiculous that they’re giving you a hard time.” Steph pursed her lips. “Did you tell them you can afford a full-time nanny?”
“Believe me, they know how much money I have. And I know they’re trying to do what’s best for Gabe. But I think it will tear him up to be with me while he’s getting treatment and then get placed with someone else as his parents. I know it will tear me up.” Jarrett cleared his throat. Carlie was due to show up any minute and he still hadn’t warned his friends. “By the way, I invited my new next-door neighbor, Rylie, to come for dinner. Turns out we knew each other in college.”
“I hope she likes babies,” said Finn, tilting his head toward the stairs where Nicole’s screams of protest wafted down. Evidently, she was letting Cole and Brooke know she wasn’t in the mood for a nap, despite the fact she’d been rubbing her eyes. “Larkin’s even louder than that when she’s mad.”
“She loves kids,” Jarrett said, remembering Rylie liked volunteering at the children’s hospital. “And she’s bringing her sister. They’re twins.”
“That sounds fun.” Steph said. “We just need to make sure they use the hand sanitizer, like the rest of us.”
Since both Finn and Ellie suffered from cystic fibrosis, which made them susceptible to infections, everyone was careful to avoid spreading germs.
“And about Rylie’s sister… I actually knew her in college, too.”
The doorbell rang, and Ellie raced for the door. “I’ll get it.”
“Wait!” said Steph, running after her with a bottle of hand sanitizer.
Jarrett called after her, “I didn’t finish telling you about—”
“Don’t worry, Jarrett,” said Finn, as he moved toward the door. “We won’t scare your new neighbors away.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about,” Jarrett mumbled.
Ellie flung the door open, and Jarrett’s stomach turned itself inside out. He stared at the open doorway, waiting to see the woman who’d single-handedly ended his life nine years ago. His chest clenched tight the moment she stepped foot into the room, her long, silky legs peaking from under a green sun dress. Eyes like pieces of sky sought his and sent his pulse racing, before aiming at the floor.
“Hi,” she said, her lips stretching in an awkward smile when Steph gasped.
“Are you—?” Finn began.
“I’m not Carlie Malone, but she’s coming. She had to take a phone call. I’m just Rylie.” She let her shiny blonde hair fall forward, covering the roses that bloomed on her cheeks.
Rylie? He’d been so sure it was Carlie. She looked different, somehow. He couldn’t put his finger on it. He felt drawn to her. It must be because he was anticipating seeing Carlie again.
“Glad to meet you,” Steph said. “Jarrett was just telling us about his new neighbors.”
“I’m sure he was talking about my sister. I’m nobody important.”
Was that really how Rylie viewed herself? Jarrett hardened his jaw, muttering, “That’s not true.”
Steph launched into an explanation about the hand sanitizer, and seconds later Ellie was dragging Rylie off to the family room.
“What’s not true?” Bran’s voice made Jarrett jump.
“What Rylie said,” Jarrett muttered in a low voice. “I wish she wouldn’t put herself down.”
“Did I hear her say her sister is Carlie Malone? The singer?” Bran raised his brows. “Does she also happen to be the Carlie you dated in grad school?”
“You guessed it,” Jarrett said, his eyes glued to the front door.
“So you dated Carlie Malone before she was Carlie Malone, the singer. And she dated you before you were Jarrett Alvarez, owner of Phantom Enterprises.”
“I hadn’t thought of it quite that way,” Jarrett admitted. “I was planning to warn you and Finn, but I ran out of time.”
“We’ve got your back, Jarrett,” said Bran, leaning closer. “Always. Whatever you need to help you deal with this, we’re here for you.”
“Thanks, Bran. And thanks for not asking why I never told you.”
The doorbell rang again, and Jarrett’s chest tightened. Carlie strode inside, her thousand-watt show-smile shining like a beacon. Flawless, from the top of her shiny blonde locks to the tips of her painted toenails, her sparkling blue eyes crinkled in the corners as she greeted Stephanie and Finn.
Then her gaze locked with Jarrett’s, and his breath caught in his throat. She moved his way until she was standing right in front of him.
“Hi, Jarrett,” she said in a feathery voice.
Her hand reached out to hold his, but the expected jolt of electricity never came. He stared at her, in confusion. Where was the magnetic attraction? The anger? The longing? The pain? Time had numbed him more than he realized.
“Hi, Carlie.” He slid his hand out of her grasp and flipped it toward Bran. “This is my good friend, Branson Knight.”
“Nice to meet you.” Bran shook her hand, his eyes appearing to focus on hers. “That’s a nice perfume you’re wearing.”
